Post by : Bianca
Haleem
India has reversed its controversial decision to make a government-owned app mandatory on all smartphones. The telecommunications department has announced the cancellation of the order that necessitated tech firms to install the Sanchar Saathi app on every device within a 90-day timeframe.
The initial directive, issued quietly last week, sparked immediate criticism from privacy advocates, political opposition, and major technology firms like Apple and Google, who declined to follow the order. Detractors raised alarms that this app might serve as a surveillance mechanism masked as a security feature.
Sanchar Saathi is intended to assist users in tracking lost or stolen devices and reporting fraudulent calls. While the government asserts that the app is secure and meant to safeguard users against cyber threats, critics claim it could be misused for monitoring purposes.
Randeep Singh Surjewala of the Indian National Congress cautioned that the app could potentially act as a “kill switch,” rendering phones inoperable and granting the government excessive authority over users, including journalists and political dissenters. This situation drew parallels to Russia’s 2025 mandate to install the Max app, which likewise incited concerns of mass surveillance.
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has emphasized that the app is not mandatory and can be removed, reaffirming citizens’ right to privacy in a democracy.
The decision to retract this order has been applauded by online privacy advocates and civil society groups, who view it as a critical step for safeguarding digital freedoms, while calling for sustained vigilance regarding governmental policies impacting personal data.
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